VZCZCXRO0024
PP RUEHAG RUEHROV
DE RUEHLI #1387 1381718
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 181718Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5884
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0541
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI PRIORITY
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 0379
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0042
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0143
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1470

C O N F I D E N T I A L LISBON 001387 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/17/2017 
TAGS: MARR PREL PO TL
SUBJECT: FM AMADO TO ATTEND RAMOS-HORTA INAUGURATION IN DILI 
 
 
Classified By: Dep P/E Counselor Cari Enav for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary: 
¶1.  (C)  FM Luis Amado will travel to Dili to attend the 
inauguration of President-elect Jose Ramos Horta on May 20. 
The Timorese have relied on the Portuguese Embassy there to 
provide protocolary guidance for this low-key event. No 
formal invitation was extended, but Amado decided to make the 
trip now because no Portuguese representative will be able to 
attend the larger August 30 celebration (Anniversary of the 
Popular Consultation). The MFA was reluctant to predict the 
outcome of the June 30 legislative elections, but noted that 
there would be challenges whether Fretilin or the CDRT won. 
Amado will also be meeting with UN Special Representative 
Atul Khare (who will be traveling to Lisbon next week) and 
Alkatiri. He will encourage all parties to maintain political 
stability and to focus on security, development and refugees. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Despite a very hectic travel schedule, FM Luis Amado 
will travel to Dili to attend the inauguration of 
President-elect Jose Ramos Horta on May 20. No formal 
invitation was extended for this low-key event, but Amado 
decided to make the trip now because Portugal wanted to 
demonstrate its support for the new government and no 
Portuguese representative will be able to attend the larger 
August 30 celebration (Anniversary of the Popular 
Consultation). Other foreign dignitaries in attendance will 
include a representative of the Indonesian President and 
possibly an official from Australia, according to the MFA 
Diplomatic Advisor for Asian and African Affairs Carolina 
Cordeiro. In his scheduled meetings with Jose Ramos-Horta, 
Mari Alkatiri, and UN Special Representative Atul Khare (who 
will be traveling to Lisbon next week), Amado will underscore 
the importance of political stability and the need to focus 
on security, development, and refugees once parliamentary 
elections are over. 
 
¶3.  (C)  Cordeiro noted Portugal had not favored a particular 
candidate and that the Portuguese government was pleased with 
how well the second round of elections were conducted (she 
herself was surprised at how smoothly things went), 
especially given the several complaints regarding the less 
than optimal organization of the first round. She quickly 
added that none of the reported irregularities would have 
affected the ultimate outcome of the elections. 
 
¶4.  (C) Looking to the June 30 parliamentary elections, 
Cordeiro said that she could not predict which party ) 
Fretilin, CDRT or some combination of opposition parties ) 
would win, but that the country would face political 
challenges regardless. The deep-seated animosity between 
Ramos-Horta and Alkatiri would make it difficult for the two 
to work together if Fretilin won, and there could be balance 
of power issues unhelpful to democratic consolidation should 
Fretilin lose. 
¶5.  (C)  With regard to Portugal,s current contribution of 
288 paramilitary officers to UNMIT, Cordeiro noted that the 
government was committed to remaining in East Timor until 
September 2007 and would reevaluate deployment at that time. 
 
¶6.  (C)  Comment:  East Timor remains a foreign relations 
priority for Portugal. The fact that FM Amado is willing to 
make the arduously long trip from Lisbon to Dili on the heels 
of a trip to Belgrade and just before a visit to Moscow is a 
reflection of the government,s support for the Timorese, 
regardless of those in power. The Timorese request for 
protocolary guidance on such issues as the order of vehicles, 
who should deliver remarks first, and where guests should be 
seated speaks volumes on the close bilateral ties. Cordeiro 
added that while Portugal recognizes that East Timor falls 
under Southeast Asia,s sphere of influence and that 
Australia is geographically closer and plays a more 
predominant role there, Portugal,s fondness for its former 
colony remains strong as does its desire to help establish a 
functioning democracy there. 
 
 
O'Neal